14 Mouth-Watering Reasons You Must Visit Toft Dairy & Ice Cream Parlor in Sandusky Ohio
Whether you’re coming in after a day of fishing on Lake Erie, finishing an exciting day of riding rollercoasters at Cedar Point, or just looking for the perfect way to cool off, there’s no better spot to stop for a sweet treat than Toft Dairy & Ice Cream Parlor in Sandusky, Ohio.
There are many fabulous restaurants in Sandusky Ohio and plenty of fun activities to keep busy, but ice cream can really be the topper to a perfect day.
Think about it: No matter how old you are, everyone loves ice cream. Everyone has a favorite flavor, everyone has a favorite way they enjoy ice cream, and it’s hard not to crave ice cream on a hot summer day.
If you’re looking for the best ice cream in Ohio, a trip to Toft Dairy needs to be on your summer bucket list.
History of Toft Dairy & Ice Cream
Today, Toft Dairy has several locations, including ones in Sandusky and Port Clinton. But the ice cream and the dairy products that are beloved by north central Ohioans have humble beginnings.
Toft Dairy began as a small family dairy farm in the early 1900s. Back then, Chris and Matilda Toft sold milk from a horse-drawn wagon to citizens of Sandusky.
In 1940, Toft Dairy moved its facilities to Adam Street in Sandusky for further expansion. Not only was there a larger fleet for milk delivery, but Toft’s ice cream also entered the mix as the dairy added a line of ice cream products.
In 1985, Toft moved again to its current facility on Venice Road in Sandusky and expanded again. Part of the expansion included the first Toft’s famous ice cream parlor, which showcases more than 70 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt.
Around Sandusky, Toft is known for its “One Quality” philosophy, and for northcentral Ohioans, that means high-quality, delicious products. The Toft family has owned and operated its dairy for more than 120 years and Toft is the oldest dairy in the Buckeye State.
FAQs About Toft’s Dairy & Ice Cream Parlors
Where is Toft Dairy located?
Toft Dairy has several locations along Lake Erie shores…
- The largest and most popular Toft Dairy Ice Cream Parlor is located at 3717 Venice Rd (aka US-6) in Sandusky.
- Cedar Point’s Toft’s Ice Cream Parlor is located inside the amusement park.
- Toft’s on 250 is located at 4318 Milan Rd (Unit 1B).
- Toft’s Ice Cream Parlor in Port Clinton is located at 4016 E Harbor Rd.
What does Toft Dairy offer?
At the ice cream shops, visitors will find several dozen different kinds of ice cream and frozen yogurt. Customers can also get a sundae, a flurry, plus shakes, sodas, floats, and malts.
Customers looking for goodies to take home can purchase milk, ice cream, cream, and much more from the Dairy.
When is Toft Dairy open?
Toft Dairy is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
How far away is Toft Dairy?
Toft Dairy is about an hour from Toledo via OH-2 E. It’s also about an hour from Cleveland via I-90 W and OH-2 W. It’s also a little over an hour from Findlay via OH-12 E and US-6 E. If you’re coming from Michigan, Toft Dairy is a little less than two hours from Detroit via I-75 S and OH-2 E.
Delicious Flavors of Toft’s Ice Cream
It’s hard not to stare wide-eyed at all the ice cream Toft Dairy offers when you make a visit to the ice cream parlor. No matter what your favorite flavor of ice cream is or if you have a special way to enjoy your ice cream, chances are very good that the staff at Toft Dairy can serve exactly what you’re looking for.
If you’re a traditionalist, you can get a scoop of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or even a banana split with all the fixings. If you love add-ins, you can get favorites like mint chocolate, rocky road, peanut butter cup, or cheesecake cookie faceoff.
Some of the more unique Toft’s ice cream flavors include:
- Super Duper Scoop — This is a Midwestern favorite, sometimes also known as Superman, and features swirls of vanilla ice cream in red, blue, and yellow colors.
- Tin Roof Sundae — This is a delicious chocolate sauce that’s swirled into vanilla ice cream and mixed together with chocolate-covered peanuts.
- Muddy’s Sea Salt Slam — This delicious combination is vanilla ice cream with streaks of salty caramel and chocolate-covered peanuts mixed in.
- Lake Erie Cookie Island Monster — Fans of cake batter ice cream will love this flavor. It’s blue cake batter ice cream blended with chocolate chip drops, chocolate cookies and cream, and chunks of cookie dough.
- Cedar Point Cotton Candy — Fans of cotton candy will love this cotton candy swirl combined with blue cotton candy ice cream.
- Banana Peanut Butter Chunk — Channel your inner Elvis Presley with this flavor, which features a peanut butter sauce swirled in banana ice cream with chunks of chocolate.
- Brown Butter Bourbon Truffle — Brown butter ice cream is loaded with bourbon truffles and veins of salty caramel.
- Brownie Bandit — Fans of brownies will love this one! Snack on brownie batter ice cream swirled with brownie flavoring and brownie chunks.
- Chocolate Cookie Mint Madness — Dark chocolate ice cream loaded with mint cookie balls and a mint fudge swirl.
- Cheesecake Cookie Faceoff — This ice cream is absolutely packed full of flavor. Cream ice cream is loaded with cheesecake pieces, dark chocolate panned cookies, and chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Buckeye Bites — This is a Buckeye State favorite that has peanut butter ice cream loaded with fudge and chocolate-covered peanut butter buckeyes.
- Feelin’ Dangerous — Lovers of chocolate and peanut butter will love this flavor, which combines chocolate ice cream, a creamy peanut butter swirl, brownie pieces, and peanut butter cups.
- Salty Caramel Fudge Truffle — This is a salty caramel ice cream packed with salty caramel truffles and a wave of thick chocolate fudge swirled throughout.
- Unicorn Dreams — This is a fun flavor with creamy sugar cookie ice cream topped with sugar cookie pieces, sprinkles and frosting swirled in as well.
Ways to Enjoy Your Toft’s Ice Cream
No matter what your favorite flavor is, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your ice cream at Toft Dairy. You can keep things simple by enjoying a scoop or two in a cake cone or cup or a waffle cone or cup. If you really want to go outside the box, grab a chocolate dip cone or a sprinkle cone.
If you’re out and about with your dog on a hot day, you can even get a vanilla pup cup at Toft.
If you love mix-ins, Toft offers nearly two dozen toppings you can add, including marshmallow fluff, hot fudge, and crushed maraschino cherries.
If you’re craving something other than a scoop of ice cream, try one of Toft’s delicious sundaes. Toft’s offers more than a dozen creations or you can create your own with your favorite flavor. If you like sundaes, consider these great treats:
- Buster Brown — Chocolate ice cream with peanuts and chocolate topping.
- Turtle — Vanilla ice cream topped with hot caramel, hot fudge, and crushed nuts.
- Tin Roof — Vanilla ice cream with Spanish peanuts and chocolate topping.
- Black Cherry — Vanilla ice cream with black cherry topping.
Eating Toft’s Ice Cream at Home
Make no mistake: There’s nothing quite taking in the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of an ice cream parlor in person. But if you’re looking to enjoy Toft’s ice cream beyond your trip to the parlor, you can absolutely do that.
A visit to the ice cream parlor will not only get you a sweet treat, but you can buy a number of items to take home.
- You can purchase various ice cream flavors in several sizes, from smaller pints to gallon tubs.
- You can buy ice cream cakes, which make the perfect treats for special occasions.
- You can buy a 12-pack of ice cream treats that includes ice cream sandwiches, ice cream bars, and fudge pops.
- You can also buy cups of Italian ice and sherbet.
Yes, there are plenty of ice cream delights you can buy, but since Toft’s is a dairy, after all, you can also buy lots of other delicious dairy products.
You can several varieties of milk, including 2% and chocolate milk; you can stock your fridge with gallons of orange juice, lemonade, and ice tea. You can even buy eggs, chip dip, and cream. No matter what you choose, you’re getting fresh, delicious, quality products that you won’t find anywhere else.
Visit Toft Dairy Today
Are you looking for some of the best ice cream you’ll ever eat? Do you remember how rich and creamy and delicious ice cream tasted when you were a child?
If you’re looking to recapture a bit of that nostalgia and enjoy a delicious treat on a hot day, you need to go to Toft’s.
In the Buckeye State, at Ohio’s oldest dairy, there really is no better place to have a scoop of your favorite ice cream or treat yourself to an ice cream treat like a delicious banana split or a sundae.
So when you’re out and about exploring the best things to do in Sandusky Ohio, be sure to stop in and visit Toft’s Dairy & Ice Cream Parlor. It really is the best ice cream you’ll ever have!